Lewisham council’s cabinet member for housing, also Labour’s mayoral candidate, defended the council’s housing record despite criticism from the public and fellow mayoral candidates.

This includes claims that Lewisham’s Council is an “easy touch” for developers.

Answering a public question about the lack of genuinely affordable housing at a hustings, Damien Egan said the Labour-run council’s affordable housing record was better than any liberal or conservative-run council in London. He blamed central government for the decline in affordable housing.

“We need to get more affordable housing for our next generation. We are seventh in London for providing affordable housing and I would like us to be first,” he said.

“In 2010 the Lib Dem and Tory coalition removed two thirds of the grant available to developers for affordable housing. From that moment we saw the number of affordable housing in our borough and across the country drop to too-low numbers. On council land the numbers are a lot higher.”

Mr Egan said affordable housing was a critical issue for the borough.

“Affordable housing should always be linked to salary, not at market rent, so don’t trust developers and the government when they talk about affordable housing,” he said.

But independent candidate Duwayne Brooks disputed whether any council housing was truly affordable in relation to average salaries, and said there weren’t enough homes were being built in the borough.

Liberal Democrat candidate Chris Maines said the council had a reputation for being an “easy touch” with developers.

“Lewisham council does need strong development control plans and a planning department that actually holds developers’ feet to the fire. I am afraid they don’t, they really are poor,” he said.

“Developers across London know Lewisham’s an easy touch, and that is why we don’t get developments we need as a community.”

Mr Maines said there was sufficient land and money to address affordable housing issues, including s106 funding – developers money given in exchange for planning permission.

“We need to make sure developers don’t abuse their rights and not deliver what the community needs,” he said.